The Child Savior
by Angel Bells
Summary: DISCONTINUED! UP FOR ADOPTION Please contact me so I can take this one down. (I relinquish all literary rights to anyone who wants to take this story on) I'm really sorry for all the readers who were waiting on me. AU. Emma arrives in Storybrooke early. Her presence at this time will change the course of not only the curse and her life, but that of every citizen of Storybrooke.
1. Chapter 1

I do not, nor will I ever own OUAT.

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The sun rose slowly in the East, the shadow of the previous evening receding in the face of a new day. Anyone lucky enough to see it would have claimed it was one of the most beautiful sights they had ever seen. But there was no one to see the sun that morning. Any who were awake were reluctant to leave the warmth and safety of their beds and face the horror that was to come that day. It was unconfirmed, but everyone knew it would only be hours until the Evil Queen's curse descended on them. Why rise and prepare for a day that would disappear in the blink of an eye? No. There was no hope to be had, and no way to stop the curse. The only thing that remained to be done was for families to huddle together and wait for the inevitable.

The only action to be seen that morning was from the royal castle of King James and his wife, Snow White. That morning, Snow White was sure that her baby was about to enter the world. It was impossible for her to explain, but she could feel it in her heart. In her gut. Her baby would come today, and if the wardrobe the Blue Fairy had commissioned was not finished before then, than there would be no way to break the Queen's curse. Her darling baby would be cursed along with everyone else, with no way to grow, learn, and fulfill her destiny.

_Why is this happening?_ Snow thought to herself. She was terrified. She would be going to a new world, moments away from birthing her baby, with no one to help her, and no way to find her dear Charming, her husband who had sacrificed everything for her, and who had been her dearest and greatest companion.

_Twenty eight years?! How are we to survive that?_

As if her thoughts had summoned him, her husbands arms wrapped around her protruding stomach, caressing their unborn daughter, safely held within her mother womb. Snow had been trying to contain her composure, but realizing that this was the only way her husband would ever hold their daughter for near thirty years, tears began to fall in earnest, and her whole body began to tremble with despair.

Charming said nothing. What could make this better? There was no way for him to rescue her from the hell they were all about to face. He would be cursed without his memories of her or their life together. She would be cursed with her memories. The only one who would remember him, their life, their friends, and their daughters mission. She would have to raise and guide their daughter alone, to prepare her to break the Dark curse.

There was no way to make this better, but he could remind her that there was not, nor would there ever be an end to his love for her.

"You will find me. You both will. This is not the end for us, Snow." He tightened his hold, willing some of his own strength and determination into her, desperate for her anguish to cease. It tore him apart.

Snow said nothing, but a tearful laugh escaped her. It was what they always said. There was no question of their love. Their love was True, deep, and eternal. What was more important was that they would always find each other. They would not be kept apart. Their love was exceeded only by their stubbornness and determination to be together despite all odds.

This was the assurance they both needed now. "Yes. We will find you, and then Emma and I won't let you out of our sight ever again."

He turned her in his arms and smiled, glad to see even the smallest of smiles on her face.

"I'm glad of that, my lady." Charming was still learning to navigate the particulars of court life, living as 'James', and how to address others of his station. But the bright red flush that came over Snow's face whenever he called 'my lady' ensured he would do it for the rest of his life.

Snow stared up into the face of the man who meant so much to her. _This is not the end. Regina has not won yet. Not until we let her win._ She drew him close, pulling him into her arms, and leaned up to his his ear,

"When next we meet, husband, you shall call me 'my lady' again." She felt him smile into the crook of her neck, the small kiss he gave her there raising her own passion for him. He pulled back far enough only to kiss her. This kiss was like so many others had been the last few months. It was a promise; a symbol of the love they felt, which would never cool. The passion was rising in them both now, and Snow longed for the days when she had been able to pull her delicious husband into the nearest closet or empty room, as she had in the first private days of their marriage. But there was to be no time for passionate indulgence, as at that moment, Snow felt a great pain in her womb.

She pulled back in haste, grasping at her stomach, hunched over. She didn't hear Charming's panicked questions, nor did she see the terror in his eyes. All she knew in that instant was that her baby was coming. Her dear Emma was about to enter the world, and the wardrobe was not finished.

She looked up in terror at Charming. "It's too soon! She can't come now, we aren't ready!" She was spiraling into a frenzy.

But Charming had already take control, slipping from husband to calm leader in an instant. "Its alright, let's get you into bed, and I'll send for Doc." He led Snow over to the bed and laid her down. After removing her robe, he ran for the door and threw it open. The servants who had been in the hall startled at the sight of their King.

"Send for Doc. Her Majesty is having the child." Charming had never been so grateful for so many people to be following his orders. All the servants scurried into action, preparing for the coming of the Savior. For his part, Charming sent a guard to the nursery to inform Geppetto of the birth. He then returned to his wife's side, determined to not let her out of his sight until the power of the wardrobe took her from him. Snow took his hand and held fast. Their child was coming, and they would stay together as long as they could.


	2. Chapter 2

I know I haven't updated in forever, and if any of you have held out waiting for updates, I applaud you. I promise updates will come a lot faster now that I've graduated. I own none of these characters and stuff.

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Emma woke with a start, shooting up from the bed, the fear and anger of her dream receding slowly as she realized where she was. As horrifying as her dream had been, there were worse things lurking just outside the bedroom door; like the foster brother who liked to stare at her, his gaze following her all over the house. For the moment, she was safe. She glanced at the clock on the bedside table, seeing that it was barely 2:30 in the morning. James was most likely asleep at this was safe for the moment.

Emma lay back down, thinking back on the dream that had so scared her. It wasn't her first time having a dream of this nature. She often dreamed of her parents, or what she thought (or hoped) that her parents were like. In her dreams she knew them. They loved her, treasured her, and were never far from her. She only needed to open her eyes to see the both of them. They were always smiling, speaking softly and comfortingly to her. Their love was a palpable thing, which she could reach out and touch, something she could have bottled. It was always a lovely dream, until suddenly they would begin to fade, she had to struggle to see them, couldn't feel their arms around her, and the love that she knew they had for her was fading. The next thing she knew, she was waking with a shock, unable to remember the faces of the only people in her life who had ever loved her.

She had never known her parents, didn't even know their names or what they looked like. She knew nothing other than that they had abandoned her. This was something she had been told since before she could even speak. Children in the various schools she had attended, the adults who took her in, for however long, and even her over worked social worker, had all mentioned at least once, whenever she saw them, that she was an abandoned orphan. She had no one. She was unwanted.

Was her name even supposed to be Emma? That was the name on the blanket she had been found in, but who takes the time and effort to make a beautiful, soft, and elegant baby blanket, embroidered with the name of a baby they are ultimately going to abandon? Was the blanket her mothers? Was her mother named Emma? her grandmother? Not that knowing her mothers first name would help much. There were too many people in the country, let alone the world, who could have the name Emma. And she wouldn't even know how to start looking.

But she could hope. At eight years old, her wish and hope for every day was that her parents would find her. But she was beginning to realize that she needed to leave that hope behind. Her parents weren't going to find her, but she could find new parents. She was still young, she could still be adopted, and make a family for herself with someone who chose her. There were good foster parents and bad ones too, but she could be patient, and wait for the right one to come along.

She may have lost the family she born to, but she could make a new one.

* * *

Robert Gold did not spend time with others, especially not someone as… cheerful… as Mary Margret Blanchard. As someone who barely spoke to others, having to engage in a conversation with someone of Mary Margret's nature was exhausting.

"I assure you, Miss Blanchard, I am not the type of person to bring more people to your book club. If anything, I am much more likely to scare off potential members."

He tried to smile kindly, but at this point he simply wanted her out of his store. He didn't expect many customers today, he rarely had any, but he did not want to end up caving to her invitation just to get her to stop talking, and they were fast approaching that threshold.

Mary Margret sighed, "Well, if you're sure,"

"I am." He said, hoping he wouldn't need to say it too many more times.

"Alright. But just in case, would you mind if I left a copy of the club's first book with you? Just in case you changed your mind? Or if you wanted a new book to read?"

Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Mr. Gold accepted the book, looking down to see it was a Jane Austin novel. The cover was decorated with the image of lovely woman looking just past the eyes of the viewer with energy clear in posture. Austin's name, as well as the title of the book, was in rather small print at the bottom of the picture. The words were barely visible, designed to blend in quietly with the image of the woman, but even with his old eyes he could still make out the name of the novel,

_Emma._

It wasn't like being hit by lightning, nor was it like waking up from a deep sleep. It was much more like the _Ah-ha!_ moment that comes when you realize you have forgotten something very important. Something you still had time to had been forgotten suddenly filled the space in his mind that he had not even known had been vacant.

"Mr. Gold?"

Rumplestiltskin looked up into the face of Snow White. But this was not her, the woman who would stand up to her stepmother, or the woman who would risk anything for her True Love. Mary Margret was kind, patient, and welcoming. All traits that Snow White was known for. But she was not fierce in her love, though who did she have here to love, or to love her? She was no leader, and would she even know how to hold her own in an argument, with anyone? No, this woman was not Snow White.

But she would be.

"My apologies, Miss. Blanchard. It's a lovely image on the cover."

Mary Margret smiled. "Yes, it is. If it's enough to convince you to read the book, and you like, feel free to let me know. The book club invitation is open." Convinced she had done her best here, she turned to leave the pawnshop.

"Miss. Blanchard." She stopped and turned.

"How is your work at the hospital going?" Rumplestiltskin tried to maintain the casual smile without allowing it to bloom into a smirk. He would have to make a visit soon to Storybrook's resident coma patient.

Mary Margret' smile widened. "It's been going very well. I'm hoping to take my students there soon to decorate some of the patients' rooms for the holidays."

Rumple had to bite his cheek to keep from smirking at the thought of her unknowingly being in the same room as her beloved husband.

"Well, I hope that goes well for you. And, thank you for the book." He said, maintaining the calm that permeated the air.

With that, Mary Margret nodded, turned, and left the store. Rumple looked down at the book in his hand. He left it on the counter as he turned to head for the computer in the back. He had a search to start, and a little girl to find.


End file.
